I've been surprised with Leshoure myself as well. He is much faster than I thought. I know he is no Best or anything but the dude is quick enough to get to the hole and when you see his 10 yard runs he gets where he is going really quick.

I'm tellin you though if we just had a lead fullback these 10 yard runs would be going 80 yards for TD. How many times this past sunday our backs get into the secondary before they get touched and have just that 1 safety to beat? If we had a fb clearing out the first tackler 10 yard runs = 30-80 yard runs.

Well in their defense, they're using Reiff as an extra blocker in a lot of situations, and I think that has a similar effect to a FB.

_________________Jim Caldwell, on whether Jim Harbaugh is stealing his thunder: "Me? I don't have any thunder."

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Injuries are a such a conspiracy-laced part of the NFL that all related reports merit some sort of caveat. I'll go with this one: Crazy and unexpected things happen in this league every week.

And that's what would have to happen, it seems, for Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin (ankle) to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Harvin emerged briefly from the Vikings' training room Thursday during the media's locker-room access, and his slow, halting limp hardly resembled the gait of a player who is three days away from playing in a professional football game. For lack of a better description, he looked like someone who needs to be on crutches but doesn't want to be.

On Monday, Harvin said he was a long shot to play. However, coach Leslie Frazier said Wednesday that he hoped to see him practice Friday. Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave reiterated that point Thursday.

I can't say for sure that Harvin won't give it a go Friday, but unless he was putting on an act for the assembled reporters, it appears he truly is a long, long shot to play Sunday. That's as definitive as I can be at this point.

If Harvin plays, it'll be a closer game, around 21-17 Lions. If not, 24-9 Lions.

_________________

November 8th, 2012, 5:08 pm

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12312

Re: Getting ready for: The Vikings

PFT wrote:

Jerome Simpson says he has his “juice” backPosted by Mike Florio on November 9, 2012, 10:23 AM EST

Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said in May that receiver Jerome Simpson was the “juice” the team needed.

So far, the juice hasn’t gotten loose for the Simpson not named Orental. After a three-game suspension for pleading guilty to selling a different kind of juice, Simpson suffered an injury. Though he’s been playing, he hasn’t been explosive.

He now says he will be. In a portion of an item on VikingUpdate.com that isn’t trapped behind a pay wall, Simpson is quoted as saying he got his “juice back” during Thursday’s practice.

Whether that pumps up a stagnant purple passing game remains to be seen. If it doesn’t against the Lions on Sunday, the lack of juice could result in Musgrave ending up with the lack of a job.

Calvin Johnson back at practice, Louis Delmas still outPosted by Michael David Smith on November 9, 2012, 12:03 PM EST

The Lions got their top receiver back on the practice field for the first time in two weeks today, but their top defensive back remains out.

Calvin Johnson is practicing today, a sign that the knee pain that had been bothering him may finally be easing. Johnson missed practice earlier this week and all of last week, although he has said he’ll be fine playing through knee pain, and he looked good in last week’s game against the Jaguars, with seven catches for 129 yards, despite not practicing at all a week ago. Johnson will be good to go on Sunday against the Vikings.

Unfortunately for the Lions, safety Louis Delmas, their best defensive back, remains out with a knee injury. Sunday’s game against the Vikings will be the sixth game this season he has missed. He also missed the last five games of the regular season last year for the Lions, and he’s starting to enter Bob Sanders territory: A safety who can make a major difference when he’s on the field, but can’t be counted on to stay on the field.

The depleted Lions secondary will also be without safety Amari Spievey, who remains out with a concussion. And starting defensive tackle Corey Williams remains out of practice with a knee injury.

Lions receiver Titus Young (knee), defensive end Cliff Avril (back) and cornerback Chris Houston (flu) all practiced today after missing time this week.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Here is a development that doesn't make much sense. During a three-game stretch in which tailback Adrian Peterson has rushed for 458 yards, the Minnesota Vikings haven't been able to capitalize in play action.

In fact, their play-action passing game has taken a significant downturn during the same timeframe.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, quarterback Christian Ponder was completing 74 percent of his play-action passes through the first six weeks of the season, the third-best rate in the NFL. His 574 yards on those passes ranked as the league's fourth-best total.

Over the past three games, however, he has completed only 11 of 22 play-action attempts for 110 yards. That failure has roughly coincided with the disappearance of tight end Kyle Rudolph from the Vikings' offense. Put it all together, and we've stumbled on a significant point of emphasis this week as the Vikings prepare for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.

"We're doing a fantastic job of running the football of late," offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said, "and Kyle's been a big part of it. We're looking forward to getting a little more bang for our buck out of our play-action game and Kyle's got to be a big part of that [also]. That's an area for improvement immediately."

I'm not sure what to make of a team losing its play-action effectiveness just as its tailback kicks it into an elite gear. Have the calls been predictable? Possibly. Ponder has been sacked on three of his last 25 play-action dropbacks after taking three in his first 75. Are opponents more prepared for Rudolph to be the recipient of a play-action pass? Musgrave said he has seen no difference in coverage, but I would imagine defenses are quite aware he is a likely target.

Musgrave and coach Leslie Frazier both indicated the Vikings took a fundamental look at their passing game this week after another sub-NFL performance last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Getting more efficient in the play-action game would be a good start, especially given the precarious condition of receiver Percy Harvin (ankle). But how? That's an answer we'll have to wait on.